Rex
It has been a few days since our little tiff and sadly, the tension still lingers. It hurts me to even think about it, yet she is clearly finding it hard to come to terms with our shared fate. Deep down, I feel like she fears that our relationship will be nothing more than what her parents had. I get they have never found their fated mates and settled, but that is why it hasn’t worked.
It hasn’t been fate deciding.
And I want her. My wolf will not accept anyone else.
Darkness falls and my anticipation dwindles. It’s the night of the full moon run, but I fear she’ll run toward the back of the pack, where I won’t be.
I stare out into the growing crowd of faces, watching and waiting with bated breath. Surely, I’ll see her long blonde locks somewhere in the crowd.
Soon, I see her arrive with her friend Darla and one of the other girls. I believe her name is Mora. We just haven’t spoken much and I suck at names.
Eventually, the crowd shifts and I see some already allowing their wolves to take over. I look at the clock hanging on the side of the house under the porch’s roof and realize it is time to start the run.
I start to walk toward her, but stop when her two friends turn to eye me. There is venom in their gazes and I have to roll my eyes at the hatred they have shown.
What in the world did I do wrong?
They huddle around her and escort her to the woods, keeping her far away from me, which really ticks me off. It’s not like I will hurt her.
The three of them disappear into the woods and only reemerge once their wolves have taken over. Both of them blend into the night with their jet black fur, but Holly’s stands out.
She is the color of sand and looks like she’d be ready for the beach instead of a run.
My wolf takes over without even waiting for me to shed my clothes. They rip and fall at my feet as I take my other form. Once I’m ready, I run toward her, but she catches sight of me before I make it and darts into the woods before I even give them a signal for the run to start.
Oh, I’m going to catch you.
I give a quick yip to signal the start of the run, but keep running at full speed toward the path around the territory. She is only a few feet ahead of me and I know that I can catch her.
Holly may be fast, but I’m faster.
A few seconds later, I catch her and nip at her back flank. She tries to outrun me as she picks up speed, but I stay right with her and never let her out of my sight.
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You belong with me, wolf.
Oh no, I don’t, jerk.
I find her use of the bond hilarious, because she never does, so she must be really mad at me. Well, she’s going to learn that I don’t give up easily.
The pack is joining us. I can hear their paws pounding the ground as they try to catch up with our grueling speed. I’m sure they are wondering why we are running so fast, but I don’t care enough to explain it to them.
Not when she is just within reach.
My wolf shoves me to the back as he fully takes over. I notice the way he drives her toward the woods, slowly edging her away from the path. Then, with one final push, she goes tumbling into the woods with me right behind her.
Lead the pack, Charlie.
My beta asks why, but I send him a few other commands with a series of growls so he gets the picture to just do as I ask and not question me. There is business that I need to take care of.
It’s now or never.
Holly glances up at me with those dark brown eyes like she can’t believe I just pushed her into the woods.
You and I are going to have a talk, Holly.
She gets up and allows the shift to come over her before crouching down to hide herself from me. “About what? The run is tonight. You should be leading the pack and not shoving me off the pack like this.”
I allow the shift to come over me as well and just stand there in front of her. She quickly looks away as her cheeks flood with embarrassment. “Woman, I’m trying to be with you and all you can do is run for me. This is fate and we can’t run. When will you just try to give me a chance?”
“I am giving you a chance, but all you have done is push me. Fate or not, I need time to get my head wrapped around it.”
I shake my head, dismissing all the responses that I really want to say. “We are not them, Holly.”
Instead of Holly responding, I hear her wolf trying to talk to mine. She tells him that the human part isn’t ready to admit what she really wants, but she wants us. Deep down it’s always been us, but the bond is scaring her.
With that said, I lower myself into a crouch and stare directly into her eyes. “You are mine.”
She shakes her head, telling me no.
“What do you mean, no? Let yourself feel what fate has destined for you and realize that I can’t hurt you. You and I are going to be together for a long time. We won’t be like them because we are not just chosen mates. Come on, Holly,” I say as I reach out and my fingertips brush her arm. “We are more than they ever were.”
Something tingles between my fingertips and her skin. She looks down, watching my fingers move.
“I’m scared.”
“I know, but I’m not going to hurt you. That is not the point of a fated match. There is no cheating and no harming one another. This is the safest relationship you will ever be in, because I can’t imagine myself with anyone else.”
Her arm shakes as she moves it, then entangles my fingers with hers. “I feel the bond, but I don’t know what to do with it.”
“Simple, you accept it and we go from there. Everyone has to start somewhere, right?” I offer her a warm smile and hope that she is willing to give it a chance.
“And if I accept, then what? What’s next?”
I chuckle under my breath as my fingers tighten around hers. “We have a mating ceremony and become a family again, but in a different way.”
She looks down at our joined hands with a huff. “No leaving?”
“Never. It’s you and me from here on out.”
Holly gives a slight nod. “Can I have a week to make sure?”
Her words sting, but I understand. I know if I don’t agree to this that I might lose her forever.
“Fine, you can have one week, but after that, I’m coming for you.”